From its world-famous Inca ruins to its farmers and traders, Peru is a country embracing its rich history. reports.
Leaman Aaron
For a site that has come to symbolise the ingenuity of the Incas, it’s surprising the name of an intrepid American looms largest over Machu Picchu.
Breathtaking is a fitting word to describe this ancient citadel. In part, because of its majestic stone architecture, but also because of its location at the top of an imposing mountain ridge.
At 2430 metres above sea level, traversing Machu Picchu’s stone pathways and stairs can leave even the fittest traveller gasping for breath.
‘‘What’s wrong with me?’’ asked one of my travelling colleagues, exasperated by her lack of endurance at altitude.
‘‘Nothing’’, was the answer offered by an older gentleman leaning up against one of the site’s intricately constructed dry stone walls.
‘‘Just take your time, this place has been around for a while, there’s no need to rush,’’ he said.
Reaching this archaeological wonder is an experience in itself, whether it’s hiking for four days along the Inca Trail or, as we did, travelling in style on board the luxuriant Belmond Hiram Bingham train. The royal blue carriages of this beautifully appointed train carry the name of Bingham in large gold-coloured lettering and are but one of many reminders of the American explorer’s impact on this ancient site.
Bingham is credited with rediscovering the 15th-century ruins in 1911 and wrote extensively about its origins and purpose. Rediscovered is a key word because when Bingham arrived, families were living and farming at the site. Back then, thick jungle covered much of the citadel, a contrast to its well-maintained, almost manicured appearance today.
Entering Machu Picchu feels like steeping back 500-plus years into Peru’s past, a place where you half expect to come face-to-face with one of its long-gone inhabitants. A sense of other worldliness is reinforced when, like many, I got my passport marked with a specially-approved Machu Picchu stamp at its entrance.
It’s hard to believe that just over 100 years ago the wider world knew almost nothing of this imposing place. Today, an estimated 3000 people from all parts of the world visit this mountain city each day, but not all enjoy the stunning vistas we did. On some days, an ethereal cloud hugs the mountain, giving the place an almost spiritual feel.
Underneath a cloudless blue sky, we had uninterrupted views across Machu Picchu’s agricultural terraces to the striking Wayna Picchu mountain. The more adventurous vie to scale the steep path up Wayna Picchu, chasing the promise of further stunning views.
For anyone interested in Inca culture, Machu Picchu presents as a one-stop shop. By studying the construction and purpose of these ancient structures, visitors can learn about Inca culture and religion, how they built their dwellings and engineered their surrounds, and how they farmed the land. Maps and books on Machu Picchu are easy to come by but arguably the best way to experience this wonder is with an expert by your side, such as explora guide Lucciano Casanova.
Casanova has spent countless hours researching the history and purpose of Machu Picchu’s stone structures. He also offers invaluable advice to those in our group struggling to catch our breath at altitude.
‘‘Breath in with you left footstep and breath out with your right,’’ Casanova demonstrates as he strides out in front of our group.
‘‘Control your breathing, don’t let it control you.’’
Thankfully we make frequent stops during our three-hour excursion across Machu Picchu as Casanova highlights features of the stone architecture and theorises about why the structures were built. Many of his ideas challenge the thinking of Bingham. The American explorer, for example, theorised the high roofs of Machu Picchu’s buildings were meant to reflect the tall mountain peaks. Casanova says more recent thinking suggest the buildings’ high-pitched roofs were designed to help ventilate the dwellings during cooking.
The Incas built Machu Picchu from the valley up, to prevent landslides along its sheer slopes. Casanova says one of the Inca’s strengths was their ability to assimilate the knowledge and expertise of cultures and societies that came before them, such as the stone carving techniques of the Tiwanaku.
‘‘The Incas are the final product of all the knowledge of cultures before them,’’ he says.
‘‘They were warriors who conquered other cultures but also preserved and learnt from other civilisations. Andean culture is a process and every civilisation borrowed something from the culture that went before.’’
For the Incas, the sun was their principal god. They reasoned that without the sun, there would be no life. At Machu Picchu, most of the structures’ windows face east to capture the sunrise. In its prime, about 1000 people called Machu Picchu home.
Perhaps the most enduring impression of Machu Picchu is how it seems to rise out of the landscape and echo its shapes and forms. The Incas had great respect for the natural world. At different locations around Machu Picchu, you can see how walls are built around rocks or incorporate them into stairways. The entire site has an ageless quality about it, as if it was created by nature and refined through human endeavour.
A head for heights
On the 11⁄2-hour train trip back from Machu Picchu to Ollantaytambo station, we savour Peru’s national drink, a Pisco Sour. The sweet cocktail is made from pisco (a flavoursome brandy), lime or lemon juice, syrup, ice, egg white and bitters. The result is a sweet, delicate tasting cocktail. It’s highly drinkable but can carry a powerful kick, especially at altitude.
But the more time you spend at altitude, the easier things get. Arriving at Cusco Airport two days earlier, a gentle stroll outside to our waiting mini-van left me gasping for breath. Now, having spent two nights at our accommodation, explora’s spectacular Valle Sagrado, I start to find my feet.
explora Valle Sagrado is located in ‘The Incas are the final product of all the knowledge of cultures before them. They were warriors who conquered other cultures but also preserved and learnt from other civilisations.’ the Sacred Valley and had its official opening in September. Nestled in a landscape of wonders, it is an attraction in its own right. The complex is situated near the village of Urquillos and sits within a colonial corn plantation which continues to be farmed by villagers.
If the venue’s soft opening is anything to go by, explora Valle Sagrado is sure to be a valuable addition to Peru’s tourism industry. Guests can spend the day exploring the surrounding valleys and attractions with an expert guide and, at night, reminisce about their adventures at the hotel’s open bar.
The hotel offers 20 exploration activities, either on foot or by bike.
Eighty per cent of the hotel’s staff have been recruited from local communities.